Bill Details
S.972 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-12-09 - Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 288.
Introduced Date
2025-03-11
Policy Area
Armed Forces and National Security
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (2)
6
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would make the Department of Veterans Affairs pay back certain service members for money they contributed toward Post-9/11 education benefits. It sets a clearer deadline for repayment and adds a new payment method for people who are not eligible for the monthly housing payment that usually comes with these benefits. In simple terms, the bill is meant to make sure veterans and service members get their money back more quickly and in a way that fits their situation.
- It would require the VA to repay qualifying members within 60 days, instead of leaving the timing open-ended.
- For people who do not qualify for a monthly housing stipend, the bill would require the VA to pay the educational assistance as a single lump sum.
- The lump sum would be based on the amount the person contributed and the length of their benefit entitlement.
- The new rules would take effect on August 1, 2025.
Official Summaries
Fairness in Veterans’ Education Act of 2025
This bill modifies the process for repaying service members and veterans who paid to keep benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill, but later chose to utilize Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Specifically, the bill removes the requirement for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to issue the repayments with the last monthly housing stipend under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This requirement has limited the repayments to individuals who are receiving stipends. Under the bill, the VA must make such a repayment before the exhaustion of the individual's entitlement to education assistance.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 972 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 288
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 972
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs repays members of the Armed Forces for certain
contributions made by such members towards Post-9/11 Educational
Assistance, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 11, 2025
Mr. Banks (for himself, Mr. Gallego, and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs
December 9, 2025
Reported by Mr. Moran, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs repays members of the Armed Forces for certain
contributions made by such members towards Post-9/11 Educational
Assistance, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Fairness in Veterans'
Education Act of 2025''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. REPAYMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES FOR
CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL
ASSISTANCE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Section 3327(f)(3) of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by striking ``together'' and all that follows
through ``(as applicable),''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect on August 1, 2025.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Fairness in Veterans' Education Act
of 2025''.
SEC. 2. REPAYMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
TOWARDS POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE: TIMING;
MECHANISM FOR INDIVIDUALS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A MONTHLY
HOUSING STIPEND.
(a) In General.--Subsection (f) of section 3327 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``together'' and all that
follows through ``before'' and inserting ``not later than 60
days after''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4) Additional assistance for an individual not eligible
for a monthly housing stipend.--In the case of an individual
making an election under subsection (a) who is described by
subparagraph (A), (C), or (E) of paragraph (1) of that
subsection, and who is not eligible for a monthly stipend
payable under section 3313(c) of this title, the educational
assistance payable to the individual under this chapter shall
be paid--
``(A) in a lump sum calculated by multiplying--
``(i) the total amount of contributions
described in paragraph (1)(A) with regards to
such individual; and
``(ii) the sum of the number of months
described in subclauses (I) and (II) of
paragraph (1)(B)(i) with regards to such
individual; and
``(B) to the individual not later than 60 days
after the exhaustion of the individual's entitlement to
educational assistance under this chapter.''.
(b) Technical Corrections and Conforming Amendment.--Such
subsection is further amended--
(1) by striking ``paragraphs (2) through (7)'' and
inserting ``paragraphs (2) through (6)''; and
(2) in paragraph (1), in the heading, by inserting ``for an
individual eligible for a monthly housing stipend'' after
``Additional assistance''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on August 1, 2025.
Calendar No. 288
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 972
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs repays members of the Armed Forces for certain
contributions made by such members towards Post-9/11 Educational
Assistance, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 9, 2025
Reported with an amendment